Gerrit Rietveld

Germany (1888–1964)

Born in Utrecht, Germany in 1888, Gerrit Rietveld is known best for his archi­tec­tural and product designs. In 1917, Rietveld opened his own furni­ture shop, with an aim for simplic­ity in construc­tion, knowing that factory produc­tion was key to future designs. Not a year later, he opened his own factory and began shift­ing his color palette due to his discov­ery of the De Stijl Move­ment. After joining the De Stijl, he spent time exhibit­ing at the Bauhaus under an invi­ta­tion from Walter Gropius, and created notable archi­tec­tural projects. His most signif­i­cant build­ing is the Rietveld Schroder House, completed in 1924; it featured moving panelled walls and is now an UNESCO World Heritage Site. By 1928, Rietveld shifted his design philos­o­phy once again, break­ing with De Stijl, as he opted for a more func­tion­al­ist style of archi­tec­ture. Noted furni­ture pieces by Rietveld include the Red and Blue Chair in 1917, along with the Zig Zag Chair designed in 1934.